Carrot cake muffins are the best carrot cake, in muffin form. They are so easy to make with minimal prep time. Covered in a delicious cream cheese glaze for the perfect muffin to frosting ratio, they are a moist, delicious carrot cake with cream cheese icing in muffin form!
Come Easter we are all about the carrot cake and I’m always looking for more ways to enjoy the flavors. My Carrot Bread and carrot cake cookies are reader favorites, so I adapted that recipe and made these delicious muffins!
I just know you are going to love them as much as we do!
I love how simple it is to make a batch of these muffins in no time at all! The prep is so minimal, it shouldn’t take you longer than 10 minutes to make the batter, pour it into the tin and make that delicious cream cheese frosting.
There’s nothing fancy needed, just pantry staple ingredients, so you can whip them up with ease!
If you love a sweet breakfast treat as much as we do, don’t miss my incredible biscuit donuts! They could NOT be easier!
Table of Contents
Carrot Cake Muffin Ingredients
- Sugar – Granulated sugar.
- Flour – All purpose, no need to sift. I like to keep things simple around here.
- Baking Powder – The leavening agent for these foolproof muffins.
- Salt – Brings out all the other flavors in baked goods.
- Cinnamon – Cinnamon adds a wonderful flavor to these muffins.
- Egg – Binds the ingredients together.
- Milk – Use whatever you have on hand – anything from skim to half and half.
- Oil – The key ingredient that makes these muffins incredibly moist. Vegetable is preferred, but canola oil can also be used.
- Vanilla – A hint of vanilla adds a lot of great flavor. It’s also really easy to make your own homemade vanilla extract.
- Carrots – You can add more or less grated carrot depending on your texture preferences. You can also grate it into smaller or larger pieces. I like to finely grate my carrots, but for a quick shortcut, I often purchase shredded carrots.
FROSTING:
- Cream Cheese and Butter – The cream cheese glaze is so rich and flavorful and balances these muffins wonderfully.
- Powdered Sugar – Powdered sugar is super fine so it blends really well to help create a wonderfully smooth frosting. If you don’t have any, you can make your own by blending granulated sugar in a food processor until super fine and fluffy. It is also known as confectioner’s sugar.
How To Make Carrot Cake Muffins
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a muffin pan (or line with paper liners) and set aside. -
Combine sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
-
In a mixing bowl/stand mixer, beat egg, milk and oil.
-
Gradually add dry mixture to wet until just moist. Add grated carrots.
-
Pour into muffin tin and bake 20 minutes or until golden brown and set. -
Combine topping ingredients and warm 15 seconds in a microwave until smooth and pourable, if needed. Pour over muffins and serve.
Tips
- Don’t Over-Mix the Batter – Mix it until the ingredients are just incorporated or the muffins can become too chewy.
- Line or Grease Your Muffin Tin – I prefer to grease mine with a little cooking spray for ease.
- Soften Butter and Cream Cheese – This creates a really smooth batter and frosting. Check out my tips for quick ways to soften cream cheese and butter.
- Cool Muffins Before Glazing – If they are warm the glaze can slide off.
Variations
While I kept this recipe simple, you can certainly add your own spin! Add
- walnuts
- raisins
To Store
- Room Temperature – Allow to cool. Store without glaze in an airtight container or plastic bag up to 3 days.
- Refrigerate – Allow to cool. Cover refrigerated up to 5 days with glaze up to one week without. Glaze them right before serving.
- Freeze – Allow to cool. Freeze without glaze and individually wrap or place in a freezer bag. I like to add a second layer of “protection” to eliminate risk of freezer odor seeping in. Freeze up to 3 months. Bring muffins to room temperature or warm in the microwave to thaw. They make a great snack or last minute breakfast.
More Muffin Recipes
- Easy Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe
- Strawberry Muffins
- Blueberry Muffin Recipe
- Moist Banana Muffins (Caramel And Banana Muffin Recipe)
- Brown Butter Muffin Recipe
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If you try this recipe, please come back to share using my 5 star rating in the comments below! Not only do I appreciate it, but I know readers do, too!
Carrot Cake Muffins
Carrot cake muffins are the best carrot cake, in muffin form. They are so easy to make with minimal prep time. Covered in a delicious cream cheese glaze for the perfect muffin to frosting ratio!
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cup flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup carrots grated
Topping:
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a muffin pan and set aside.
- Combine sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl/mixer, beat egg, milk and oil.
- Gradually add dry mixture to wet until just moist. Add grated carrots.
- Pour into muffin tin and bake 20 minutes or until golden brown and set.
- Combine topping ingredients and warm 15 seconds in a microwave until smooth and pourable, if needed. Pour over bread and serve.
Video
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Notes
Don’t Over-Mix the Batter – Mix it until the ingredients are just incorporated or the muffins can become too chewy.
Line or Grease Your Muffin Tin – I prefer to grease mine with a little cooking spray for ease.
Soften Butter and Cream Cheese – This creates a really smooth batter and frosting. Check out my tips for quick ways to soften cream cheese and butter.
Cool Muffins Before Glazing – If they are warm the glaze can slide off.
Variations
While I kept this recipe simple, you can certainly add your own spin! Add- walnuts
- raisins
To Store
- Room Temperature – Allow to cool. Store without glaze in an airtight container or plastic bag up to 3 days.
- Refrigerate – Allow to cool. Cover refrigerated up to 5 days with glaze up to one week without. Glaze them right before serving.
- Freeze – Allow to cool. Freeze without glaze and individually wrap or place in a freezer bag. I like to add a second layer of “protection” to eliminate risk of freezer odor seeping in. Freeze up to 3 months. Bring muffins to room temperature or warm in the microwave to thaw. They make a great snack or last minute breakfast.
Nutrition
Calories:216kcalCarbohydrates:37gProtein:2gFat:6gSaturated Fat:4gCholesterol:13mgSodium:96mgPotassium:133mgSugar:23gVitamin A:45IUCalcium:63mgIron:1mg
Did you Make This Recipe?Mention @JulieBlanner
These muffins are perfect! I love that they are not super sweet and have carrots! YUM.
Thank you, Laura! So glad you enjoyed them!
Love that cream cheese glaze… I could literally put it on anything! And I love that it’s carrot cake in a cupcake form. Easier to eat!
It was a huge hit with the kids! Easy process and such a simple recipe! The muffins are so fluffy and flavorful.